Earth-conductor for lighting-conductors.



Patentgd= Dec. l7, IQUL P mmcu. EARTH CONDUCTOR FOR LIGHTNINGCOLDUCTOBS.

(Appliation filed Oct. 7, 1901.)

Clo Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL IMMICH, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

EARTH-CONDUCTOR FOR LlGHTNlNG-CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,855, dated December17, 1901. Application filed October 7, 1901. erial No.'7'7,893. (No odL) To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, PAUL IMMIOH, a subject of the German Emperor,residing and having my post-office address at 23 Pestalozzistrasse,Charlottenburg, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Earth- Conductors for Lightning-Conductors, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in earth-conductors forlightning-conductors.

It is well known that earth-conductors for lightning-conductors areproduced in such a manner that the conductor terminates in a metal plateplaced in continuously moist earth or subsoil-water. However, moistearth and water are worse conductors of electricity than metal. If,therefore, the electric current is to pass from a better conductor-forinstance, from the said metal plate-into worse conductors, such as earthand subsoilwater, it encounters a new resistance. The badconductorcannot receive and immediately pass on all the electricity with which itis suddenly charged by the better conductor, in consequence of which acondensation of electricity arises at this point, which may result in apart of the'electricity remaining in the lightning-conductor and leapingover to parts of the building or the like to be protected. In order tocompletely overcome this resistance between the metal plate and theearth or subsoil-water surrounding same, I have invented the followingarrangement.

The annexed drawing shows the improved arrangement in diagram.

At a suitable distance-for instance, about ten meters-preferably to thenorth of the socalled earth conducting plate a and at a somewhat lowerlevel than the latter, as shown in the drawing, a second piece of metal19-- for example, in formof a plateis embedded, any such metal beingchosen for the piece I) as lies nearer than the plate a to the positiveend of the scale of metals arranged according to their relativeelectrical tensions. The two metal plates at and b are conductivelyconnected with each other by means of one or more wires or sheet-metalstrips 0, arranged in moist earth or subsoil-water. The plates or thelike of different metals thus arranged form a so-called earth element,from which even the greatest quantities of electricity can pass withoutany appreciable resistance into the moist earth or subsoil-watersurrounding the said earth element.

What I claim is- An earth-conductor for lightning-conductors,comprisingin combination several metal bodies conductively connectedwith each other and with the earth-wire, said bodies being graduatedboth with regard to their electrical resistance and to the depth towhich they are embedded in the earth or subsoil-water and forming anearth element.

In witness'whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo witnesses.

PAUL IMMIOH. Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

